Podcast Summary: Supply Chain Now
Episode: Building Resilient, Innovative Supply Chains Across Africa
Release Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Scott Luton
Co-Host: Yasin Ahmed
Guest: Toby Meyer, CEO, Middle East and Africa, DHL Global Forwarding
Episode Overview
This episode delves into the powerful forces transforming supply chain and logistics across Africa and the Middle East. With Scott Luton and Yasin Ahmed at the helm, they host Toby Meyer—CEO for DHL Global Forwarding in the region. The conversation explores regional investment priorities, innovation, talent development, infrastructure challenges, and strategies for building resilient, innovative supply chains. Notable focus is on DHL’s $300 million investment plan, the critical role of life sciences and energy access, and the leadership skills shaping the next generation in Africa.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Dynamic Supply Chain Landscape in Africa and the Middle East
- Toby’s Path into Supply Chain
- Entered the industry by chance, influenced by family ties and career opportunities.
- Embraced international assignments, including Germany, the UK, South Africa, and Dubai.
- Expresses passion for the unpredictability and impact of supply chain work.
- Quote [07:17]:
"It's an amazing part of the whole, I think ecosystems we have... The stuff you can see and experience is really one in a kind." — Toby Meyer
2. The CEO’s Role and Daily Realities
- Scope of Responsibility
- Oversees DHL operations in 26 countries, requiring constant travel.
- Stresses the value of personal engagement with staff, customers, and partners for regional success and alignment.
- Quote [09:02]:
"I spend too much time in planes because the region is pretty big and people tend to underestimate how long it takes you to travel around... a lot of time is spent on the road, which I think is really important." — Toby Meyer
3. Key Forces Reshaping Trade and Logistics
- Shifts in Global Trade
- US tariffs altering traditional trade flow; Chinese exports increasingly entering Africa and the Middle East.
- Intense competition among GCC countries to become major logistics hubs.
- Increasing industrial moves from China to Turkey, Egypt, and Morocco, but broader expansion is hampered by Africa’s infrastructure and energy gaps.
- Regulatory environments and customs can significantly hamper logistics efficiency.
- Quote [11:29]:
"We have a saying in DHL that trade always finds its way like water... It's a complex region, but I think there's never a dull moment." — Toby Meyer
- Quote [14:25]:
“If goods don't cross borders, soldiers will.”—Toby Meyer (attributing Frédéric Bastiat)
“For me, it's always about trade, bringing prosperity to people and making this planet a better place for everyone... trade really makes this world a better place.”
4. DHL’s $300 Million Investment Strategy
- Focus on Life Sciences and Healthcare
- Prioritizing infrastructure that reliably delivers medicine and vaccines across Africa’s diverse conditions.
- Investment is a baseline—true need is in the billions to trillions.
- Emphasizes building end-to-end supply chains and improving regulatory processes.
- Quote [15:41]:
"We can ensure we bring medical goods, medicines, vaccinations... to 1.5 billion people living across Africa today." — Toby Meyer
- On Choosing Life Sciences as a Focus:
"In Europe you have an aging population. In this part of the world, you have a fast-growing population... we believe life science, healthcare needs more bespoke... reliable solutions." — [17:30]
5. Persistent Challenges Worth Solving
- Infrastructure and Energy
- Reliable, affordable energy is a prerequisite for innovation, including AI/data centers.
- Transportation costs are disproportionately high for African consumers.
- The digital divide and persistently high logistics costs remain core hurdles.
- Quote [18:18]:
"Reliable access to cheap energy will drive prosperity in any country... Not having this reliable source is really a challenge thinking ahead of the next big wave." — Toby Meyer
6. Levers for Supply Chain Reliability, Resilience, and Sustainability
- Optimization and Green Initiatives
- Better planning and optimization of truck capacity to reduce empty trips and emissions.
- Investments in alternative fuels: biofuels, SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), and experimenting with EVs for smaller fleets.
- DHL express introducing ‘Alici’—an electric cargo plane for short, urgent shipments.
- Tying executive compensation to decarbonization goals for real impact.
- Quote [23:30]:
"Whatever we have in terms of capacity that's better, use them all together... So if you need to drive with a truck from A to B, ensure it burns as less fuel as possible by planning in the best possible way." — Toby Meyer
- Quote [27:44]:
"We built more than 20,000 [electric vehicles] ourselves... 60% of our fleet, I think by 2030 should be electrical for the smaller vehicles."
7. Developing Future Supply Chain Leaders in Africa
- Key Skills and Mindsets
- Emphasis on resilience, humility, ownership, and community connection.
- Cautions against complacency once one achieves a title; the focus should be on making a meaningful impact.
- Highlights improved access to education via technology, but notes it takes ownership and initiative to leverage these opportunities.
- Encourages exposure to different cultures and communities for broad‐based leadership growth.
- Quote [30:58]:
"You have to be really resilient, you have to have ownership, but at the same time you need to be humble and be able to connect to the people on the ground." — Toby Meyer
- African proverb cited [33:45]:
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
8. Leadership Advice for Early Career Professionals
-
The Power of Active Listening
- Importance of listening deeply to teammates, staff, and local experts—often the organization knows the solutions but lacks champions to act on them.
- Advocates humility, openness, and active engagement with front-line workers.
- Quote [36:37]:
"The most important thing is active listening. Not just listening so I can answer, but listening to truly understand what's behind it... just being humble, listen to the people and taking the time... it's so powerful." — Toby Meyer
-
Embracing Ownership and Risk
- Suggests young professionals take career risks—move to dynamic markets in Africa/Middle East for transformative experiences.
- Stepping out of comfort zones critical for broad perspectives and accelerated growth.
- Quote [40:09]:
"Take a risk, come and work in the Middle East and Africa... It will change your life... you need to get out of the comfort zone to really grow."
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“Trade always finds its way like water… It’s a complex region, but there’s never a dull moment.”
— Toby Meyer, [11:29] -
“If goods don’t cross borders, soldiers will.”
— Toby Meyer (quoting Bastiat), [14:25] -
On Leadership:
“Ownership. No one owes them anything. They’re gonna have to own the successes… own the challenges… own how we behave, how we manage, how we lead.”
— Scott Luton, [39:18] -
On Active Listening:
“I did what they [the team] told me, and they were like, ‘my gosh, this guy is a genius.’ I was like, I just do what you guys told me to do… the organization very well knows where the weak points are.”
— Toby Meyer, [37:04]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Toby Meyer’s Background: [06:14–07:47]
- Challenges of Leading DHL in the Region: [09:02–10:08]
- Forces Reshaping Trade: [11:29–14:25]
- DHL’s Investment Strategy & Healthcare Focus: [15:40–18:03]
- Infrastructure, Energy and Digital Economy Barriers: [18:18–22:03]
- Sustainability Levers and Innovation: [23:30–29:23]
- Talent & Leadership Skills in Africa: [30:58–33:52]
- Leadership Advice: Active Listening: [36:37–38:06]
- Career Advice: Get out of Comfort Zone: [40:09–41:37]
- Closing Reflections and Connection Details: [41:51–44:27]
Resources & How to Connect
- Connect with Toby Meyer: Active on LinkedIn; regularly posts from various African and Middle Eastern countries.
- DHL’s Regional Innovation: Visit their innovation center in Dubai.
- Connect with Yasin Ahmed: LinkedIn: Yasin Ahmed.
Final Takeaways
- The supply chain in Africa and the Middle East is rapidly evolving with unique challenges—chief among them infrastructure, regulation, and energy reliability.
- DHL is investing heavily, particularly in life sciences, to build a reliable, innovative supply network across Africa.
- Leadership in this region requires resilience, humility, ownership, and—above all—active listening.
- New and early-career professionals are encouraged to embrace risk and international assignments to accelerate their career trajectory.
“Ownership, active listening, and the willingness to move out of your comfort zone —these are the foundation for the next generation of supply chain leaders.” — Episode Summary
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